LEE'S RESIDENCE, PRESENT TIME.

Another day. Another busy day for the Lee's. One had to immediately head to the kitchen as soon as he fluttered his eyes open, and one had to prepare for work as soon as the clock ticked at six in the morning. No greetings from each other, no morning kisses, and not even a single word was spoken— it's like they were strangers living under the same roof. They minded their own businesses without bothering the other.

It wasn't until Donghyuck finished making breakfast for his family that he checked the time, being reminded of his son that had classes at eight o'clock. "Love?"

Who was he referring to? It was no other than his tired husband that just finished his morning routine and went down for a quick breakfast. It was just till then they both finally exchanged words.

"Yeah?" Mark responded as he heaved a depressing sigh, settling himself down in the dining area just to take his coffee and a piece of bread. "I'm late." He muttered under his breath as soon as he saw the time, knowing that he had less than fifteen minutes to drive his way to work.

Donghyuck was in the middle of preparing for their son's lunchbox, hoping that he could ask the man a favor. "Can you wake Chan up? I'll prepare his uniform and bag after this."

One more time, Mark had let out a sigh that caught the husband's attention; worrying Donghyuck with the thought that he might be overworking and forgetting to take care of himself. Which, to his guess, he was right. "Didn't you hear me? I am late."

"Come on, waking the kid up doesn't take a portion of your time." Donghyuck had stated, washing his hand from the sink. He eyed the dishes he had to take care of after breakfast, and a frown made its way to his lips. "Plus, I have to take care of the mess you made last night. Your party with your friends."

"It was just a movie night." Mark fixed his tie and made his way to the living room to pick up his shoes.

Wiping his hands with a dry towel, Donghyuck followed the man and stared at him with eyes showing emotions that he, himself, can't even seem to point out. "You still made a mess. The living room was trashed, the kitchen had chips everywhere, and you were left drunk asleep on the floor."

Mark subconsciously rolled his eyes, ignoring what the other was saying. He enjoyed his friends' company last night, and that's what all that mattered. "I'm going. Might get home late, the boss announced a meeting after work."

"You won't be taking Chan to school together with you?" Donghyuck tilted his head to the side as the man made his way to him, thinking that he was getting a kiss on the cheeks like how Mark usually does— or maybe he now seldom does.

Donghyuck was expecting, only to get disappointed and embarrassed right after. Mark just went to reach for his watch that was on top of the shelf. It just so happens that Donghyuck was right next to it.

"Not now, I am in a hurry and he's still sleeping." Mark just spared him a look for a second before taking his things and striding down towards the front door. "Can't you do it, please?"

At least he was being polite about it. However, Donghyuck felt like he had to burst. A simple favor such as waking their son up, he can't even do. How long does that even take? And not to mention, it wasn't his fault that Mark had to wake up late than usual. He didn't even understand why he and his friends had to drink on a random Wednesday night, considering that they all have work the following morning.

"Mark," Donghyuck had to fight his inner demons, he didn't want to lash out early in the morning. Most importantly, he was afraid that his son might be just around the corner, listening to them. Though he was thinking that the kid might still be sleeping, he didn't want to risk traumatizing his son just like how they were caught that one evening. "I really—"

Mark cut him off, "Hate me? Thanks, got that tattooed in my head already." With a bitter smile, the man in the suit scoffed. "I can say the same, don't even know why you were acting so sweet a while ago. Where are all the 'Fuck you's that you give me every morning? Calling me despicable and making me feel miserable before my day even starts, Where's that side of you, Huh?"

That took Donghyuck aback, but Mark had a point. No one was an angel in their relationship, and neither innocent in every situation. Both had issues between each other and are victims of their own emotions.

A deep breath in, Donghyuck faked a smile. "I really hope you'll have a nice day." Taking back what he was about to say a moment ago that his husband had the right guess.

Mark let out a laugh, finding this situation unbelievably foolish for him. It was messing him up. "Cut the act." He said before continuing, "I'll get going now."

Just like that, Mark left for work. He left Donghyuck standing there with his fists clenched and tears on the brink of falling down.

It wasn't like this before.

If Donghyuck would have a chance to meet his old self and tell him about his life after marriage, he'd probably be called crazy and be sent to a mental hospital. Might be an exaggeration, but that's how he truly felt about this.

Especially when he didn't expect he'd get this kind of treatment towards the person that made him feel like he was the luckiest man in the world.

Mark made him feel so loved.

"Papa? Morning!" A child's voice and a yawn coming right after cut Donghyuck out of his thoughts.

He was still standing still in the same spot, shaking his head to forget about what had just happened. "Hey there, baby. You woke up by yourself? I'm so proud of you."

The kid had that small smile on his face, happy to hear the compliment. It made him feel giddy, "Daddy set my alarm last night, I woke up just in time!" But despite being happy about the compliment he got, he noticed the sadness in his father's voice. "Papa, is there something wrong?"

Well, at least Mark had done something right as a parent before getting himself drunk last night. Donghyuck chuckled at his thoughts before carrying his son up and bringing him to eat his breakfast. "It's all good, Chan. Let's have our breakfast!"

As excited as his father to eat, Chan has his head turning from left to right, seemingly looking for someone. "Where's Daddy?"

"He has to go to work early." Donghyuck said softly. He doesn't want to and he will never, in his entire life, raise his voice to his child. He just doesn't want the kid to grow up in such an environment. "It's Papa's turn to bring you to school this time!"

Without any further questions asked, Chan just nodded his head and proceeded to take his breakfast. "I will eat well!"

Donghyuck let out a genuine laugh after seeing how jolly their son is this early in the morning, "You should because I made it will love."

"Chan loves the food, and he also loves Papa!" The kid said out loud and proud.

Humming in agreement, the father finished washing the dishes before walking towards his son just to settle a kiss on top of his head. He messed his hair up right after, "Papa also loves Chan very much."

"Oh, and Daddy!" The kid uttered out with food in his mouth, saying what he didn't get to mention a while ago. "I also love Daddy, as much as how Papa loves him."

That stopped Donghyuck from his tracks. That statement made his thoughts go blur and his emotions were all over the place. There were no words that came out of his mouth. For what seemed like an easy question to answer, he was having a hard time agreeing with it.

"Right?" Chan felt the need to say it again, thinking that his father might have not heard him. "Papa, you still love Daddy, Right?"

🕙

"I sure do hope Donghyuck didn't mind having us last night." A co-worker, also a friend of Mark, has arrived with a cup of coffee in his hand. He strode towards his desk right next to the busy man whose eyebrow twitched upon hearing his husband's name. "He looked tired. I'm sure taking care of a child isn't as easy as it sounds. You shouldn't be stressing him more than he already is."

Rolling his eyes, Mark had changed the topic to something else. "Look who decided to show up after ditching my ass last night, dead on the floor."

The man that had just arrived let out a laugh, his eyes also smiling alongside his lips. "Well, sorry Mister 'Let me finish the remaining bottles'. There were 2 left, may I add."

"And you still left after knowing that." Mark scoffed in disbelief, "A friend you are, Jeno."

Jeno Lee, a friend of Mark's for years and counting. They go way back during high school. Because of how they know each other so well, people would often mistake them as brothers. They do act like they've known each other since diapers. Mark was not mad at Jeno for ditching him last night, he could never be. However, it would have been nice to wake up having his friend behind his back. In that case, he would have had a day off facing Donghyuck's wrath.

His husband would never treat him like shit right in front of his friends.

Donghyuck will always show them how nice he is, how perfect of a partner he is, and how lucky Mark was for having to marry him.

Even Mark thought so too. His young self would be jumping and giggling at the thought of having to marry Lee Donghyuck. He would deem himself as the happiest and luckiest person on earth in having to achieve such a thing.

This is why Jeno, and also his other friends, are having a hard time listening to the stories he would tell them. These aren't even made up stories, these are situations that actually happened to him. Telling them that Donghyuck actually calls him a dickhead and an asshole would make them laugh as if he were a comedian.

"I'm sorry about that." Jeno seemed genuine about it, scooting his chair closer to the man's desk. "Two of the love of my life called me, and said they needed me."

Mark didn't bother questioning what he meant by having 'two' lovers. That's a kind of explanation that would need another book to understand what it is. "It's okay, it wasn't big of a deal anyway. Just woke up with a headache."

Jeno snorted, knowing that it was his friend's doing since he insisted on finishing the remaining bottles of alcohol that they had. But there was a question he wanted to ask, "Did you two fight? Did Donghyuck get mad that we were drinking?"

"He could care less about us drinking." Mark uttered, focusing on his paper works while also talking things out with his friend.

The man nodded in relief, heaving out a sigh after. However, he jolted from his seat with his back straight and his head snapping towards Mark's direction. "Hey, you guys don't hit each other, do you?"

"What?" Mark made a face indicating that what Jeno said was unreal, it even made him stop what he was doing, "Never. We don't go violent on each other. I won't also initiate something like that. Dude, what the fuck?"

Maybe that question was just too much. Jeno apologetically lowered his head down, "Sorry, it just got me worried. I notice you coming to work looking like... That. You were also never a heavy drinker, it worried the hell out of me when I saw you finish two bottles by yourself." He explained as not to get the wrong idea, "It was obvious that you are going through something, and I know you're keeping it to yourself."

Leaning back on his chair, Mark got deep in his head. He genuinely thought that none of his friends cared, even Jeno who's the closest to him. They all seemed like they were on Donghyuck's side. He understands why though. It wasn't because he was painted the bad guy, his husband has also never talked bad about him behind his back, nor was his friends being gaslighted to think that Mark was always wrong.

Donghyuck was just good at acting nice.

Mark closed his eyes as he tried to sort his thoughts and emotions out. He can't be bringing his personal problems at work, it'll be affected— not to mention, he's preparing for the presentation he'll be having in an hour. "I'm just really tired."

Here goes Jeno's attempt in comforting him, "If you want to talk to someone, I'm here—"

"I want to end things with him." Mark just had to cut him off.

The friend's jaw dropped in shock, catching him off guard with that question. It took all the words in his mouth, leaving him silent in his seat.

There's no way that Mark Lee would say that, Jeno couldn't believe what he just heard.

And just when his friend was about to conclude that he might just be hearing things, Mark continued to say something that never in a million years that the people that grew up with him would expect him to confess, "If I ended up with Ko Eun, would things have been different?"

Ko Eunji, nicknamed as Ko Eun. This is a girl he had met and got close with during his high school years. Obviously, Mark didn't mean what he said, it was just an intrusive thought that he had and never planned on doing. It probably got through his head upon remembering the people who had liked him way back during his years; this certain girl caught his attention only because it was obvious that she liked him. Mark knew it was her who gave him letters every single day, and she would make small efforts such as helping the teachers carry their things just so she could pass by Mark's classroom and see even just a glimpse of him.

Mark may have noticed Ko Eun, but Donghyuck caught his attention more.

"Don't say that. I know you don't mean it." That was all Jeno could utter out, having no single clue as to what's going on inside his friend's head.

He's right, so damn right, but Mark just heave out a deep sigh. "I don't know where it went wrong, Jeno."

Jeno was still fazed on his seat, trying to actually process whatever he's hearing from his friend. It felt like he was talking to someone else.

Dropping his head abruptly on his desk, which it did hurt, Mark just closed his eyes. "I wish I could go back in time to where we never met."

Thinking it would save him the guilt of knowing what could have been if things change.

— to be continued